An El Dorado County sheriff's dive team found the body of a missing Placerville man Monday morning in about 10 feet of water in Jenkinson Lake in the Sly Park Recreation Area near Pollock Pines, investigators said Tuesday.
Investigators determined that Matthew Sinclair, 24, of Placerville, did not drown but died from head injuries he suffered when he attempted to jump off some rocks into the lake. Sinclair was alone in an area that people often use for diving even though signs are posted warning against that activity, said Sgt. Bryan Golmitz, sheriff's office spokesman.
The shoreline in that location is not vertical enough to safely jump into the lake, Golmitz said. Investigators believe that Sinclair died on impact and his body then rolled into the water.
The man was last seen about 6:30 p.m. Sunday when he told family members that he was going to go look for some rocks to jump off, Golmitz said. They reported him missing about 9 p.m. and park personnel subsequently found some of his belongings on the shore. By then it was too dark to safely continue the search, Golmitz said. The dive team found him about 8 a.m. Monday.
"This was a preventable accident," Golmitz said.
As summer moves into full swing, officials are urging swimmers and boaters to take the safety precautions that include swimming with a buddy, wearing life jackets and paying attention to warning signs about potentially dangerous areas, Golmitz said.
This is already the second water-related fatality this season in El Dorado County. A man was killed April 25 in a boating accident near Brown's Ravine.
